Thursday, 20 February 2014

US grants patent for disgraced scientist's fraudulent cloning research

Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk is, to say the least, a controversial figure in the world of cloning research. He's produced hundreds of animals, including the first cloned puppy in 2005; more recently, he's worked on attempts to clone a preserved woolly mammoth. But one of his greatest achievements turned out to be a fraud that shook the scientific community. In 2004 and 2005, his research group published papers describing the first human stem cell line to ever be derived from a cloned embryo. When pressed, though, Hwang wasn't able to back up his claims. Ultimately, he was found to have fabricated data about the "breakthrough." The papers were retracted, and Huang was indicted for embezzlement and ethical violations. But that hasn't...Continue reading…